Search

Coordinate descent methods have considerable impact in global optimization because global (or, at least, almost global) minimization is affordable for low-dimensional problems. Coordinate descent methods with high-order regularized models for smooth nonconvex box-constrained minimization are introduced in this work. High-order stationarity asymptotic convergence and first-order stationarity worst-case evaluation complexity bounds are established. The computer work that is necessary for obtaining first-order $\varepsilon$-stationarity with respect to the variables of each coordinate-descent block is $O(\varepsilon^{-(p+1)/p})$ whereas the computer work for getting first-order $\varepsilon$-stationarity with respect to all the variables simultaneously is $O(\varepsilon^{-(p+1)})$. Numerical examples involving multidimensional scaling problems are presented. The numerical performance of the methods is enhanced by means of coordinate-descent strategies for choosing initial points.

A study in order to differentiate Tempranillo and Tempranillo blanco grapes and wines from A.O.C. Rioja (Spain) has been carried out. The three most important groups of chemical compounds in grapes and wines were determined: nitrogen and phenolic compounds by HPLC–DAD, and volatile compounds by GC–MS. A machine learning approach was carried out to achieve the most important chemical parameters to differentiate Tempranillo and Tempranillo blanco grapes and wines based on the Kruskal–Wallis test, F-score feature selector, and support vector machine classification. Four importance levels were established for both grape and wine discrimination. The first level is composed of variables that can differentiate Tempranillo and Tempranillo blanco grapes and wines by analyzing the chemical concentrations. The second, third, and fourth level of importance is composed of a variable set that can correctly classify the samples, each one determined according to the F-score importance ranking and the SVM discriminations. Some chemical compounds demonstrated to be good predictors to wine and grape discriminations, whereas some chemicals are only a good predictor to one discrimination approach.

A new fatigue parameter is proposed, which provides a new way of thinking to assess fatigue damage problems. The complete stress state at a certain material point, i.e., taking into account any material plane at that point, is included in the method. The influence of tension and compression state and also the mean stress are also included. Some experiments with different materials and loading conditions are used to validate the capabilities of the proposed method. The results show that the method provides good predictions for axial cyclic and/or torsion cyclic conditions with zero or nonzero mean stresses, in-phase and out-of-phase, different shapes of the specimen, loading waveform and loading path.

An important part of the preparation and homogenization of the seismic catalog used in the recent seismic hazard assessment study of Spain is the development of relationships among the different scales used to measure earthquake size. The objective is to convert all earthquake size data in the original catalog to a single magnitude scale, the moment magnitude M w, in order to have a set of events with an uniform comparable size measurement. These new relationships are based on regression analysis between M w and the other units used in the catalog in different epochs. The reduced major axis regression scheme is used, because it is the most suitable method for symmetric treatment of the variables involved in the fits. The new relationships obtained for Spain, M w as a function of m bLg; M w as a function of m b; and M w as a function of I max, are presented and their applicability limits and accuracy are discussed. The results obtained could have other practical uses in regional seismicity analysis.

Background: Owing to the limited validity of clinical data on the treatment of prostate cancer (PCa) and bone metastases, biochemical markers are a promising tool for predicting survival, disease progression and skeletal-related events (SREs) in these patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive capacity of biochemical markers of bone turnover for mortality risk, disease progression and SREs in patients with PCa and bone metastases undergoing treatment with zoledronic acid (ZA). Methods: This was an observational, prospective and multicenter study in which ninety-eight patients were included. Patients were treated with ZA (4mg every 4 weeks for 18 months). Data were collected at baseline and 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 and 18 months after the beginning of treatment. Serum levels of bone alkaline phosphtase (BALP), aminoterminal propeptide of procollagen type I (P1NP) and beta-isomer of carboxiterminal telopeptide of collagen I (beta-CTX) were analysed at all points in the study. Data on disease progression, SREs development and survival were recorded. Results: Cox regression models with clinical data and bone markers showed that the levels of the three markers studied were predictive of survival time, with beta-CTX being especially powerful, in which a lack of normalisation in visit 1 (3 months after the beginning of treatment) showed a 6.3-times more risk for death than in normalised patients. Levels of these markers were also predictive for SREs, although in this case BALP and P1NP proved to be better predictors. We did not find any relationship between bone markers and disease progression. Conclusion: In patients with PCa and bone metastases treated with ZA, beta-CTX and P1NP can be considered suitable predictors for mortality risk, while BALP and P1NP are appropriate for SREs. The levels of these biomarkers 3 months after the beginning of treatment are especially important., This study was supported by Novartis Oncology Spain. As this was a multicenter study, Adknoma Health Research (Barcelona, Spain) collected and ordered data throughout the study. We especially thank Margarida Garcia from Adknoma who followed carefully the development of the study. M. Martin-Fernandez was a fellow of the Conchita Rabago Foundation.

A probabilistic seismic hazard assessment of Andalusia (Southern Spain) in terms of peak ground acceleration, PGA, and spectral accelerations, SA(T), is presented in this paper. In contrast to most of the previous studies in the region, which were performed for PGA, making use of Intensity-to-PGA relationships, hazard was here calculated in terms of magnitude, using published spectral ground-motion models. Moreover, we considered different ground-motion models for the Atlantic sources, since the attenuation of those motions seems to be slower, as evidenced in the case of the extensive macroseismic areas of earthquakes like those occurred in the years 1755, 1969 and 2007. A comprehensive review of the seismic catalogue and of the seismogenic models proposed for the region was carried out, including those for Northern Africa, which is part of the influence area. Hazard calculations were performed following the Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) methodology using a logic tree, which accounts for six different seismic source zonings and five different ground-motion attenuation relationships. Hazard maps in terms of PGA and SA (0.2 s) and SA (1 s) and coefficient of variation (COV) maps, for the 475-year return period were first obtained in rock sites. A geotechnical classification and amplification factors were proposed and new hazard maps including local effects were represented, showing PGA values ranging from 24 to 370 cm/s2 for the whole Andalusian territory, with the highest expected values (PGA > 300 cm/s2) in some parts of the Granada Province and in the town of Velez Malaga. Lowest values (PGA < 50 cm/s2) correspond to some towns of the Huelva and Cordoba provinces. The inclusion of soil effects provides a more detailed picture of the actual hazard the region is subjected to.

To continue our study on the chionophilous communities of western North America, this report presents a phytosociological survey of communities growing in a boreal macroclimate. Combining the Braun-Blanquet approach with numerical analysis, 378 releves were ordered and classified by tabular and average linkage cluster analyses, revealing 11 associations in the classes Salicetea herbaceae, Loiseleurio–Vaccinietea, and Carici rupestris–Kobresietea bellardii. The following new syntaxa are described and typified: Carici podocarpae–Anemonetalia parviflorae, Solidagini arcticae–Dryadion alaskensis, Taraxaco alaskani–Salicion rotundifoliae, Vaccinio mini–Betuletalia exilis, Polygono plumosi–Cassiopion tetragonae, Arnico lessingii–Cassiopetum tetragonae, and Carici podocarpae–Betuletum exilis.

Through tabular and average linkage cluster analyses, 872 phytosociological releves, including 491 obtained from the literature and 381 of our own releves obtained in the field, were ordered and classified. Based on these releves, we then described and typified the associations, alliances, orders, subclasses, and classes defining the chionophilous communities of the boreal, temperate and Mediterranean climates of western North America. Diagnostic tables, ordination, clustering, and climatic, edaphic, and biogeographical data were used to establish floristic affinities among these syntaxa and interpret their distributions. Syntaxa were characterized by their floristic composition, physiognomy and biogeographical distribution, along with their position on the snow gradient. Finally, we ascribed the communities growing in temperate and Mediterranean climates to the new class Hieracio gracilis-Juncetea drummondii, including 3 subclasses, 6 orders, 12 alliances and 34 associations.

Leakage and fistula are feared complications after gastro-intestinal anastomosis. A 36-year-old female underwent an one-anastomosis gastric bypass. The 24-h routine radiological study before oral intake showed a tiny leak, which was treated by NPO and I.V. fluids. After 5 days, despite output reduction, total parenteral nutrition was commenced. After 8 days, the leak remained with reduced output. It was then occluded endoscopically by fibrin glue. To our surprise, we found the drain that we had left behind the anastomosis, inside the gastric pouch. We began withdrawing the drain and occluded the defect with 4 ml Tissucol®. After 48-h of no output, a repeat radiological study showed persistence of the leak. 6 days later, a radiological study demonstrated total closure of the leak.

To describe the personal and family antecedents and clinical characteristics of patients with eating disorders (EDs) in a population of the south of Spain; to analyse the influence of lifestyles, family functioning, socioeconomic status (SES), and psychological characteristics in these processes. A university-based case–control study. University Hospital (Andalusia, Spain). A total of 120 patients with EDs and 240 controls. SCOFF, EDI, APGAR family, and SES questionnaires. In all, 67.5% of patients presented anorexia (AN), 15% bulimia (BN), and 17.5% mixed forms. EDs emerged at around 18–20 y (95% CI 17.9–19.8). Factors associated with EDs are psychiatric conditions (depression OR: 4.16, anxiety OR: 4.59), more frequent use of medication (OR: 2.26), dietary fibre (OR: 2.59), and laxatives (OR: 3.47). Toxics consumption, sport activity, SES, and family antecedents of pathology are not associated with EDs. An inverse relationship was found between family functioning and the scores in various subscales of the EDI. Eating disorders in Andalusia (Spain) are influenced significantly more by psychological, family, and cultural factors than by social factors.

Objective: To analyse the differences in family functioning and socioeconomic status between subjects with disorders of eating behaviour and the healthy population, considering the possible relationship of these factors with the psychic characteristics of patients, with consumption of various substances, and with sexual practices. Design: Case–control study. Setting: ‘Puerta del Mar’ University Hospital (Andalusia, Spain). Subjects: Conducted on a sample of 120 patients with AN and BN, and 240 controls with an identical distribution by age and sex. Interventions: SCOFF, eating disorder inventory (EDI), Apgar family and socioeconomic questionnaires are utilised. Results: Patients with disorders of eating behaviour present greater family dysfunctioning than controls; among cases, this difference is greater in the acute forms, but there are no differences between recent situations or crises due to previous episodes. Family dysfunction is associated with higher scores of multiple subscales of the EDI, which is corroborated on analysing each of the Apgar parameters independently. Family functioning is not associated with other variables such as breast-feeding or consumption of toxic substances. Socioeconomic status does not differentiate cases from controls, or acute situations from evolving ones, or new episodes from other crisis episodes, although differences may be found in the psychic manifestations according to social class. Conclusions: It is confirmed that family functioning has an influence in these types of disorder, in their evolution and in the psychic characteristics of the patients, without any evidence being found of a relationship between these disorders and socioeconomic status.

The problem of a straight crack lying in the coating of a semi-infinite substrate is considered. The most general case of anisotropy is assumed for both materials (coating and substrate). The solution of Atkinson and Eftaxiopoulos [2] for a dislocation in an anisotropic bimaterial is modified to solve the fundamental problem of a dislocation in the coating, by including a corrective solution that accounts for the additional boundary conditions at the free surface. The coating crack is modelled as a continuous distributions. The resulting system of singular integral equations is solved by applying an inversion theorem and then using numerical integration. The stress intensity factors for modes I, II and III can be directly obtained from the dislocation densities. Numerical results are presented to compare the present analysis with existing solutions for some particular geometries and material models. For the general anisotropic case, results are presented showing the influence of a number of geometric and material parameters.

High purity silicon nitride powders have been obtained by Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), through the reaction of SiH4 and NH3 gas mixtures at 1000 °C in a quartz reactor. The crystallization characteristics of the powder have been followed by infrared and x-ray diffraction analysis. The material shows a transition from amorphous to the α-phase after a thermal treatment at about 1300 °C for 1 h, while the β-phase starts to appear at 1725 °C. The sintering properties of the amorphous and crystalline phases were evaluated by measuring the dilatometric curves of compacted powders.

Silicon nitride films have been deposited from SiF4/NH3/H2 gas mixtures. The deposition reaction at high pressure (52 torr), takes place only for temperatures above 800°C. In the temperature range 800–1000°C the reaction is controlled by a surface process. The increase in H2 and SiF4 partial pressures enhances the deposition rate. The SiF4 molecules provide a high concentration of available silicon atoms, while the hydrogen molecules inhibit the etching effect of the free fluorine atoms. Finally, the effect of an r.f. plasma in the chemical vapour deposition reaction has been evaluated.

The dielectric breakdown properties during the anodic oxidation of valve metals (Ta, Nb, Al, etc.) are reviewed. First, the theories developed for insulating films flanked by metal electrodes are analysed. The major emphasis is placed on the avalanche models since they give the best account of the experimental facts observed with electrolytic contacts, i.e. during the anodization. Some hints to increase the breakdown potential are finally given.

A revision of 15 cases of back pain and radiological features characteristic of anterior or posterior limbus vertebrae is presented. We comment on the radiological findings observed in the various imaging studies performed (conventional radiology, CT and MRI), which were attributed to the herniation of disc material into the vertebral body. In three patients who were followed up 12 years after the diagnosis, the initial roentgenograms of limbus vertebrae progressed in adult hood into radiological images characteristic of Schmorl's hernia as a sequela.

Gene frequencies at 13 isozyme loci were determined in three South American taxa of cultivated potatoes [the diploid group (gp.) Stenotomum, the diploid subgroups (subgp.) Goniocalyx, and the tetraploid gp. Andigena ofS. tuberosum], in the diploid weed speciesS. sparsipilum, and in most of the main cultivars now raised in the Northern Hemisphere (the tetraploid gp. Tuberosum ofS. tuberosum). High levels of genetic variability (mean number of alleles per locus, percentage of polymorphic loci, and mean heterozygosity) were detected, being higher in tetraploid potatoes. An equilibrium among the evolutionary factors which increase genetic variability and artificial selection for maximum yield would explain the high uniformity of heterozygosity values we observed in both Andigena (0.36 ± 0.02) and Tuberosum (0.38 ± 0.01) cultivars.—The low value of genetic distance (D = 0.044) between Stenotomum and Goniocalyx does not support the status of species forS. goniocalyx.—In most isozyme loci, the electromorphs of gp. Andigena were a combination of those found in both gp. Stenotomum andS. sparsipilum, suggesting an amphidiploid origin of gp. Andigena from that two diploid taxa. The presence in Andigena of unique electromorphs, which were lacking in both gp. Stenotomum andS. sparsipilum, suggests that other diploid species could be also implied in the origin of tetraploid Andean potatoes. Furthermore, since Andigena were more related to Stenotomum (D = 0.052) than toS. sparsipilum (D = 0.241), the autopolyploidization of Stenotomum individuals and the subsequent hybridization with gp. Andigena may also have occurred. Thus, our study suggests a multiple origin (amphidiploidy, autoploidy, and hybridization at tetraploid level) of gp. Andigena.—Most of the electromorphs of gp. Tuberosum were also found in gp. Andigena; both the direct derivation of that group from the Andean tetraploid potatoes and the repeated introgression provided by breeding programmes could explain this result. However, the allele c of Pgm-B, present in 30 out of 76 Tuberosum cultivars from Northern Hemisphere as well as in 3 Chilean Tuberosum cultivars, lacks in the 258 Andigena genotypes sampled, suggesting that Chilean germplasm could have taken part in the origin of at least the 39% of the potato cultivars from Europe and North America analyzed here.—The distanceWagner procedure provides an estimate of a 30% of heterogeneity in the evolutionary divergence shown by different groups of cultivated potatoes. Diploid groups show a higher (22.5%) evolutionary rate than tetraploids, which can be attributed to both tetrasomic inheritance and facultative autofecundation that exists in Andigena and Tuberosum groups. Thus, artificial selection acting since 10000 years has not resulted in a higher rate of molecular evolution at the isozyme level in the tetraploids., Caja de Madrid (España)

The duplex nature of Ta2O5 films formed in H3PO4 electrolytes with different concentrations has been chanyotarired by net weight gain measurements of the films during the anodic oxidation, as well by capacitance and etch-rate measurements of the oxide films. The density and permittivity of each layer of the films formed in different concentrations of the electrolyte have been calculated.

The scintillation phenomenon in anodic tantalum oxide has been studied by means of the potential rise during the reoxidation of samples which had undergone previous scintillation for a specified time. The information given by these curves, together with measurements of the dielectric properties, X-ray analysis and observation under the scanning electron microscope, allow two different processes to be distinguished during scintillation. The first stage of the scintillation is mainly characterized by a process of attack and partial healing of the oxide film with the formation of pores and microfissures. The second stage of scintillation is dominated by the process of field crystallization which irreversibly degrades the oxide's dielectric properties. The influence of the anodization parameters, such as current density and nature and concentration of the electrolyte, on the above processes is also investigated.

The internal gas evolution in aluminium miniature electrolytic capacitors exposed to stressed current and temperature conditions has been measured. The gas evolution is controlled by two competitive processes: hydrogen generation at the cathode and reduction of the depolarizers added to the electrolyte. The kinetics and efficiency of these reactions have been determined from measurements of the gas evolution for different temperatures and different currents through the capacitors.

Si-Cr films of variable composition between pure silicon and pure chromium have been deposited by co-sputtering on to glass substrates and thermally oxidized silicon wafers. In order to assess the applications of the Si-Cr films to thin film resistors, the electrical characteristics of the films have been determined as a function of composition, thickness, thermal treatments, etc.